Nintendo and Southwest Airlines bring friends, families and fun together for the holidays

Nintendo and Southwest Airlines
surprised a full flight today, giving every single customer on board a
free Wii U console. More than
100 passengers on flight 1883 from New Orleans to Dallas Love Field
received Nintendo’s HD video game system after they were greeted upon
arrival by Mario himself. Mario surprised the customers with a special
announcement during the flight, and Nintendo and Southwest Airlines
representatives were on board to share in the fun.

The surprise kicked off a larger partnership between Nintendo and
Southwest that will bring big smiles to thousands of travelers through
the fun and interactive entertainment of Nintendo video game systems and
games during this busy holiday season. As the official video game
partner of Southwest Airlines, Nintendo is setting up Wii U Gaming
Lounges in some of Southwest’s most heavily trafficked airports between
now and Dec. 22. Passengers can pass the time before boarding by playing Super
Mario 3D World and other newly released games, if their travels take
them through the following airports: Dallas Love Field, Chicago
(Midway), Denver, Atlanta, Tampa Bay and St. Louis. Up to four players
can join the fun at each game kiosk for free.

"No one is better than Nintendo and Southwest Airlines at bringing
friends, families and fun together," said Scott Moffitt, Nintendo of
America’s executive vice president of Sales & Marketing. "As Southwest’s
video game partner, our aim is to bring smiles to travelers and
Southwest Employees through the fun of Nintendo video games."

"Southwest Airlines continues to look for ways to have fun with our
Customers and partnering with Nintendo will do just that," said Kevin
Krone, Southwest Airlines Chief Marketing Officer. "Much like Southwest,
Nintendo delivers enjoyment and passion and we look forward to bringing
the fun to our Customers nationwide."

Consumers nationwide can also join the fun. Between now and Dec. 25,
visitors to http://www.southwest.com/nintendo
can enter for a chance to win one of 30 prize packages containing a pair
of Southwest Airlines roundtrip tickets and one Wii U system. A new
winner will be selected every day. Visit the website for full rules and
details.

The Wii U console brings the innovation of a second screen to the world
of video games, thanks to the touch-screen capabilities of the Wii U
GamePad controller. It plays the latest HD games from Nintendo, and
includes social interaction via Nintendo’s Miiverse. It also plays the
full library of Wii games and is compatible with accessories like the
Wii Remote and Wii Balance Board.

With a variety of home consoles and hand-held systems offered at various
price points and a lineup of great games featuring classic characters
that can’t be played anywhere else, Nintendo offers travelers the best
entertainment options to deliver smiles for the holiday season and
beyond.